Improved method of packing nitro-glycerine



UNITED STATES PATENT @E1-TCE TALIAFERRO P. SHAFFNER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 56.620, dated July 24, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TALIAEERRO P. SHAEE- NER, of Louisville, Jefferson county, and State of Kentucky, have made new and useful Improvements in the Mode of Packing Nitro- Glycerine and other Combustible Liquid Compounds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation ofthe same, sufficient to enable one skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of a given quantity of nitroleum, nitro-glyeerine, or other substance packed for transportation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the packing around the neck or mouth of the bottle containing the liquid represented in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents the box or carboy containing the nitrolenm, nitro-glycerine, or other combustible substance in Fig. 1, ready for storage or transportation, being an exterio'r view ofFig. 1.

My invention consists in packing nitroleum, nitro-glycerine, gly'noin, or other combustible liquid compounds in sueh manner as to prevent the explosion of said compounds or substances during the time of storage or transportation, resulting from the natural usage and handling incident or common to storage and transportation 5 and, further, to prevent an explosion in case of breakage ofthe casin gs surrounding the said liquid substances or parts thereof, orin ease ofaleakage of the said liquids.

Fig. l of the accompanying drawings shows a sectional view of the mode of packing preferable, though parts of it may be altered or omitted, or equivalents may be substituted for parts thereof.

It consists of an exterior box, made of any desirable material-wood, for exam plepainted on the inside to prevent absorption, (indicated by A A,) having on its inner side, top, and bottom india-rubber or caoutchouc cushions F F F, made in strips or pieces of any desired size or form, and fastened, as may be desired, so as to confine in a xed position the bottle B B, which contains the nitroleum, nitro-glycerine, or other combustible liquid compound, C. Metallic springs may be used instead of the india-rubber, if desired. Be-

tween the bottle B B and the boxAAis plasterof-paris powder, E E, well packed. rlhe nitroleum, nitro-glycerine, or other substance, C, should be poured into the bottle B B after it has been thus packed in the box, the said nitroleum, nitro-glycerine, or other liquid substance filling about five-sixths of the bottle, and then about ve-sixths of the remaining space should be filled with pure water, (represented by 1),) and the remaining space is represented by G, which-space is intended to allow for the expansion of the liquids. The stopper may be of cork or other material, well protected from the action of any acids that may be formed or that may exist in the said liquids, and for the protection indiarubber, gutta-percha, 85e., may be used. The stopper should be tightly fitted into the mouth or orice of the said bottle.

Letters H H represent the arrangements at the top of the box to prevent accident to the mouth or neck of the bottle, all of which is more fully represented by Fig. 2, in which K K are pieces of wood fastened to the top of the box near to and around the mouth or neck of the bottle B B, in which D is the water, Gr the space, and L the stopper', which may also be covered with cloths or other material.

The space between KK and the neck of the bottle should be iilled with plaster-of-paris, dissolved in water, of a consistency to allow it to be poured into the space M M. On or before hardening of the plaster-of-paris around the neck of the bottle a wooden or metallic cover, N, should be fastened to K K by screws or nails.

On the sides of the box should be placed strong handles of rawhide or of other material.

The bottle should be made of metal, and l never of glass or other fragile material-iron thickly coated with tin is preferable-and a few hoops will give additional security. The metal, when not exposed to heat, is cold, and it aids to reduce the temperature of the liquid. rEhe plaster-of-paris is an inferior conductor of heat, and the same may be said of wood.

If nitrolenm, nitro-glycerine, or other equivalent substances be thus packed, its explosion cannot take place by the ordinary mode of storing and transportation. If there should be any uncompounded acids, the water willengage them. If the combustible liquid should leak from the bottle, the plaster-of-paris willabsorb it and prevent an explosion, although ire may be applied to it. When the powder becomes saturated with nitroglycerinel it becomes caked and will form a bottle of itself, if there should be any unabsorbed liquid. When plaster-of-paris is saturated with nitroleum ornitroglycerine it is slightly iniiammable upon the surface. The wooden box may burn from the plaster-of-paris, and yet there will not be an explosion.

The usage common to the transportation or merchandise will not disturb the nitro-glycerine, as the india-rubber cushions or metallic springs will prevent sudden concussion. If the bottle is made of tin coated with metal or other non-corroding metal, breakage cannot occur, and if the mouth of the bottle be well closed no leakage can take place.

The parts exposed around the mouth of the bottle will always indicate the top of the case or box, upon which should be clearly marked the contents thereof.

Heretofore nitro-glycerine has been in most cases transported in glass bottles or in cans made of iron covered with tin. The bottles or cans have been packed in boxes with the space inside illed with sawdust. No particular shape or form has been given the boxes to indicate the contents or the top-or bottom of the bottle or can. The rough usage on transportation having broken the bottle, as was the case recently at San Francisco, the nitroglycerine saturatedthe sawdust, producing rapid decomposition and a high degree of heat. The sawdust being thus saturated and heated, passingbetween the pieces of glass, the explosion became inevitable.

Having described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The placing between a bottle containing nitroleum, nitro-glycerine, or other liquid combustible compound and an outer casing or box india-rubber or caoutchouc, or other material to serve as springs, for the purpose of lessening concussion upon the said liquid substance by an exterior force resulting from a fall or otherwise, substantially as hereinbefore de scribed.

2. The application of plaster-of-paris powder or of other equivalent non-conductor of heat and non'explosive or combustible subn stance, when saturated with the liquids hereinbefore mentioned, in combination with the arrangements or parts substantially as hereinbefore described. Y Y Y Y 3. The use of metallic bottles for the purpose of confining the nitroleuni, nitro-glycerine, or other explosive liquid, in combination with the arrangements and parts substantially as hereinbefore described.

TAL. P. SHAFFN ER.

Witnesses:

EDM. F. BROWN, Jos. S. FowLnR. 

